Toy engine starting device



J. W. M ROSKEY July 26 1960 TOY ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

July 26, 1960 J. w. M ROSKEY 2,946,327

TOY ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN w. Mc/POSKEX INVEN TOR.

A/fo file] United States Patent TOY ENGINE STARTING DEVICE John W. McRoskey, West Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Wen-Mac Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 8, 1957, Ser. No. 657,778

8 Claims. (Cl. 123-185) This invention relates to toy starting devices for toy engines of internal combustion type adapted to drive toy vehicles, and relates in particular to a toy engine starting device which is an improvement over the pull cord starting device now available to the public. The invention claimed herein is disclosed in copending application for Toy Engine Driven Vehicle with Starter, Serial No. 657,235 filed May 6, 1957. The pull cord type of starting device referred to in the foregoing has a projecting pull cord adapted to be pulled outwardly so that the applied pulling force will be transmitted through a clutch directly to the shaft so as to rotate the shaft forwardly. Each pull on the pull cord will rotate the engine shaft through several revolutions and will cause it to start providing it is supplied with the necessary fuel and ignition. When the toy engine is cold, improperly primed, or flooded with excess liquid fuel, it may not start in response to the first few pulls onthe starter cord. This condition often leads careless or thoughtless persons to yank on the pull cord with excessive force, breaking the same or yanking the toy vehicle out of the hand which grasps it, with the possibility of injury to the toy vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy starting device for toy engines, this starting device having a projecting pull cord, wherein breakage of the pull cord in the manner set forth in the foregoing is avoided, thereby practically eliminating loss of service of the toy engine during time the replacement of the pull cord is being made, and practically avoiding the necessity of replacing the pull cord of the toy starter mechanism.

ing device for toy engines wherein the starting of the engine is effected upon release of the pull cord after it has been pulled outwardly manually by the operator, there being stop means for stopping the pull cord when it has returned to its initial or retracted position relative to the housing of the toy vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy starting device especially suited for use on a toy engine adapted to power a toy airplane or air vehicle having a propeller connected to the shaft of a toy engine mounted on the body of the air vehicle, and a toy starting means positioned in operative relation to the engine shaft and having a pull cord extending outwardly with relation to the vehicle body so that it may be manually grasped and pulled outwardly, the toy starter including means for storing the energy applied in pulling the pull cord outwardly and for applying this energy to the engine shaft, to rotate the same in forward or starting direction when the operator releases the end of the pull cord, there being means to rewind the pull cord and return it to its initial or retracted position when it is released. -A fea ture of the invention is that there is practically no possibility of the pull cord becoming entangled with the propeller for the reason that the pull cord is moving toward retracted position as the engine shaft is rotated to accomplish a starting of the engine, and at the same time It is an object of the invention to provide a toy start-' rotation of the propeller produces an air flow which acts to carry the projecting end of the pull'cord away from the propeller.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple toy engine starter means wherein the starting rotation is applied to the toy engine crankshaft smoothly and consistently. In the operation of the device the energy for the starting rotation of the engine shaft is in predetermined magnitude stored in a spring which in turn applies the energy to the engine shaft without any jerking action. The operator, as previously explained, merely pulls the pull cord outwardly, without any jerkin'g action, to its full extent and then releases the same. All tendency to jerk the cord is avoided; therefore, there is no danger of breaking the pull cord or of injury to the engine driven toy vehicle as the result of its dropping to the ground when jerked out of the holding hand as the result of a strong jerk being applied to the pull cord.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a toy starting device for toy engines, which starting device always gives a maximum starting action consisting of arapid, forceful initial movement of the engine parts in proper direction because the tensionof the spring, 'and the starting force which it exerts. are at highest value when the pull cord is pulled out to its full extent. Accordingly, when the pull cord is then released the spring initially applies its maximum starting force so that there is very rapid movement of the engine piston through its compression cycle; When the manually applied force of pulling out the pull cord is transmitted directly to the engine shaft, the rotation of the engine shaft may be slow or fast depending on the operator, but with my invention, the starting force and the manner of its application are consistently always the same regardless of the speed at which the pull cord is pulled out. This is of especial importance in the starting of toy engines having small flywheel eifect.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be brought out in the following part of the specification wherein detailed description is for the purpose of full disclosure without placing limitations on the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a toy airplane having therein a toy engine equipped with a toy starting device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is .an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the forward end of the fuselage of the toy aircraft showing the toy power assembly of the present invention, parts being broken away and sectioned substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 3 to disclose the cooperative relationship of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the details of mounting and manner in which the flexible pull member is brought to the exterior of the fuselage; taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the clutch mechanism, taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2;'

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the winding drum and pull cord;

(Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing details of the rewind spring and its operative connections, taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified arrangement in which the starter mechanism is mounted on the opposite side of the crankcase from the main shaft; and

Fig, 8 is a view diagrammatically illustrating a reed type of valve for controlling fuel admission to the engine.

Fig. 1 of the drawings discloses a toy aircraft equipped with the present invention. This aircraft includes a fuselage body having wings 12 and 13 and tail structure 14 at one end of the fuselage. The other end of the fuselage is of hollow construction and provides an engine compartment, this end of the fuselage being streamlined andassociated with a forward spinner 15. The power plant as generally indicated at 16 is mounted in the engine compartment and has a driving connection with a propeller 17. Fuel control 18 is brought out through an opening 19 in the fuselage of the engine compartment,

and a flexible pull cord 20 is brought out through an opening 21 in the wall of the fuselage, the openings 19 and 21 being positioned rearwardly of the propeller 17.

Referring to Fig. 2, the toy engine of the power plant 16 has a crankcase 22 formed with a projecting sleeve 23 that provides a' bearing support for a projecting main shaft 24. At its outer end, the main shaft is fitted with the propeller -17 of conventional construction and is secured in operative position by the spinner 1S and a screw 25 which extends therethrough and is threaded into the shaft 24.

As further shown in Fig. 2, the toy or miniature starter of the present invention is positioned between the engine crankcase structure and the propeller, and is partly contained within a stationary cupped member 26 which has a central tubular hub 27 adapted to surround the sleeve 23 upon which it is retained against movement. The cupped member has a cylindrical wall or flange 28 open at its forward end.

Within the cupped member 26 there is a winding means in the form'of a winding drum 33 having a tubular hub 34 adapted to be rotatably supported upon the outer surface of the sleeve 23. The inner end of this hub has an annular wall 29 which surrounds the hub 27. The opposite end 30fof. the hub 34 lies closely adjacent to the inner end ofa drivable member 31 which is held on the splined end 37 of the shaft 24.

At its inner end the winding drum 33 has, integrall formed with the hub 34, a circumferentially extending flange 36 which is grooved peripherally to form a circumferentially extending groove 37 which is adapted to windingly receive the flexible pull member 20. The inner end of the pull member which consists of a cord is knotted at 39 and anchored in "an opening 38 provided in the flange 36 below the groove 37. The free end of the pull member extends through an opening 40 provided in the wall 28. and through the opening 21 provided in the fuselage to the exterior and is provided with an end loop 41 to facilitatemanual manipulation by an operator; 'Inwardly spaced from this looped end, the pull member has thereon a stop consisting of a knot 42 which limits the rewind movement of the pull member.

Adjacent the inner face of the flange 36, there is within the cupped member 26 a coiled spring 43, one end of this spring being positioned in a slot 44 in the flange 23, so as to anchor this end of the spring to the cupped mernher, as shown in Fig. 6. The inner end of the coiled spring is connected to the tubular hub 34 by any suitable means, such as a rivet 45, for example. The spring 43 is spiraled outwardly from the hub 34 in counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 6. Extending outwardly from the flange 36, the drum 34 has a cylindrical outer face 46 of a diameter which is substantially the same as the diameter of the adjacent outer cylindrical surface 47 of the drivable member 31. A clutch spring 48 is disposed upon the surfaces 46 and 47 of the members 31 and 34, cooperating with them' to form a one-way clutch C. The spring 48 is formed of spring wire and is wound lefthand so that when the hub 34, as viewed in Fig. 4, is rotated in counterclockwise direction the spring 48 will tighten and grip both of the surfaces 46 and 47, thereby transmittingrotation in counterclockwise (for Ward) direction from the rotation means formed. by the winding 'drum'33'to the drivable member-31. which is 4 fixed on the shaft 24. This will rotate the engine in forward or starting direction.

The pull cord 20, as shown in Fig. 5, is wound outwardly from its connection at the opening 38 of the drum 33, in clockwise direction so that when, by manual outward pull on the loop 41, the pull cord is caused to unwind from the drum 33, it will rotate the drum 33 and the hub 34 in clockwise direction. When the hub 34 is rotated clockwise (rearward), it revolves within the overlying portion of the spring 48 At the same time, the'inner end of the spring 43, due to its connection with the winding drum 33, will be rotated in clockwise direction, winding the spring 43 and storing therein energy which tends to rotate the winding drum 33. The cord 20 is Ordinarily pulled out to full extent and upon release of the outwardly pulled end loop 41 the rotation applying means 33 is released and the energy stored in the spring 43 is transmitted in counterclockwise direction through the clutch spring 48 and the drivable member 31 to the engine shaft 24 rotating the same in engine-starting (counterclockwise) direction, While the counterclockwise rotation of the drum 33 rewinds and retracts the pull cordZtlback to the position thereof shown inFigslQ 3 and 5., wherein the stop 42 is in engagement with the flange '28 of the cup member 26.

During the rewinding of the pull cord 20, the spring 43 revolves the engine shaft 24 a number of revolutions, without any jerking action being applied to the toy airplane, for the reason that during the starting rotation of the engine shaft 24 there is no pulling force being applied to the 'pull cord 20. The rotation of the engine shaft 24 and the retraction of the pull cord 24 by the spring 43 occur simultaneously; therefore, the pull cord 20 has partly or fully retracted when the starting of the engine occurs. The revolving of the propeller 17 produces a flow of air which will carry the extending portion of the pull cord 20 rearwardly away from the propeller 17, the result being that there is practically no possibility of the pull cord 20 becoming entangled with the propeller 17.

The drivable member 31 is formed with an annular raised surface 51 which is provided with a roughened or knurled face 52, as shown in Fig. 3, which is arranged to abut the adjacent surfaceof the propeller hub and form a friction non-slip engagement therewith.

Referring now to Fig. 7, a modified starter construction will be described, which is arranged for mounting on the oppositeside of the crankcase from the position shown in Figf In'the; modified arrangement, similar parts are, indicated by the same numerals as in the form previously described. The modified arrangement is con structed so that it may be mounted upon existing engines, and furnished as an attachment which may bepositioned in'the place now occupied, by the fuel tank 53, Fig. 2.

More specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, the. crankcase is. provided, with a threaded opening 54 which receives thethreaded end of a tubular bushing 55, this end of the.

bushingibeingfprovided with 'aicircumferentially extendingflange 56v which is adaptedto bear against a sealinggasketi57 so as to sealingly .inountthebushing in the crankcase opening.

Instead of mounting the starter. parts in connection with'thelf main shaft, the modifiedarrangement makes use; of auxiliaryi'shaft 58 which is rotatably mounted. within the tubular bushingSS The auxiliary shaft is;

longitudinally retainediin position. within the; bushing by thadiivsue member 31, secured at one end by a secur;

ing screw 5 9, and by meansof an endflange 60 at the opposite end of the auxiliary shaft.

As shown, themain shaft- 24 carries a, crank pin 61 which connectswith the engine piston rod 62. Provision.v

islmade fo'r also dr'iving the auxiliaryshaft se in concert Twith the main shaft 24 by. theuprovisionof aslotor opening 63 in the. endiflangefill, this.slotiorcopeningbea ing adapted to receive the outer end of the crank pin 61 crew. The modified starter construction embodies the in herent advantages of the starter construction which is arranged to be mounted between the engine and the propeller, the main difference being that in the modified construction provision is made for mounting the modified construction on the rear side of the crankcase in which position it may be readily used as an attachment for an existing engine, a minimum of changes in the engine construction being required in order to utilize the starter therewith.

The toy engine starter prevents operation of the engine which will impart reverse rotation to the propelling means. Small toy engines of the type shown herein will start in either direction of rotation. Other toy' engines will operate in reverse. For the supply of fuel thereto there may be a fuel supply conduit such as shown at 64 in Fig, 8, having a partition 65 with afuel opening 66 therein controlled by a reed 67 arranged to open in response to suction created in the engine when the shaft is rotated in either direction. In the present invention, the stop means 42, acting in conjunction with the one-way clutch means of frictionally engaging type, prevents rotation of the engine shaft which will revolve the propeller 17 in reverse direction.

I claim:

1. In a toy power plant for a toy vehicle: a toy engine having projecting shaft means; means for securing a propeller on said shaft means; a nonrotatable sleeve supported by said engine concentric to said shaft means; a

- drivable member secured to said shaft means adjacent said sleeve; starter rotation means rotatable upon said sleeve; a one-way overrunning clutch connecting said rotation means and said drivable member so that forward rotation of said rotation means will be transmitted to said drivable member; a pull cord wound on said rotation means and having an end thereof extending outwardly for manual engagement to effect pulling out of the pull cord whereby it will rotate said rotation means in rearward direction; and spring means connected to said rotation means and to said pull cord and responsive thereto so that the pulling out of said pull cord will wind said spring means and store energy therein and further responsive to said pull cord so that when the pulled out pull cord is released, said spring means will return said pull cord to its initial position and rotate said rotation means forwardly and accomplish forward rotation of said shaft means.

2. In a toy power plant for a toy vehicle: a toy engine having projecting shaft means; means for securing a propeller on said shaft means; a drivable member secured to said shaft means; starter rotation means rotatably surrounding said shaft means; a one-way overrunning clutch connecting said rotation means and said drivable member so that forward rotation of said rotation means will be transmitted to said drivable member; a pull cord wound on said rotation means and having an end thereof extending outwardly for manual engagement to effect pulling out of the pull cord whereby it will rotate said rotation means in rearward direction; and spring means connected to said rotation means and to said pull cord and responsive thereto so that the pulling out of said pull cord will wind said spring means and store energy therein and further responsive to said pull cord so that when the pulled out pull cord is released, said spring means will return said pull cord to its initial position and rotate said rotation means forwardly and accomplish forward rotation of said shaft means.

3. In a toy power plant including an engine having a projecting shaft, the combination of: drivable means on said shaft; starter rotation means rotatably surrounding said shaft; one-way overrunning clutch means for connecting said drivable means and said rotation means when Said rotation means is rotated in forward direction, to

rotate said drivable means in forward, engine starting direction; a pull cord operatively connected to said rotation means to rotate the same in rearward direction, said pull cord having an end extending outwardly from said rotation means; and spring means connected to said rotation means and responsive to said pull cord and said rotation means so that it will be wound by rotation of said rotation means in said rearward direction and which spring, upon release of said pull cord, will effect forward, engine starting rotation of said rotation means.

4. In a toy power plant including an engine having a projecting shaft, the combination of: a toy recoil starter surrounding said shaft, having a drivable means on said shaft, starter rotation means rotatably surrounding said shaft including one-way overrunning clutch means engageable with said drivable means to rotate same, a pull cord operatively connected to said rotation means to rotate the same rearwardly, said pull cord having a manually engageable portion extending outwardly for manual engagement to effect pulling out of the pull cord whereby it will rotate said rotation means in said rearward direction, and spring means connected to said'rotation means and to said pull cord and responsive thereto so that the pulling out of said pull cord will wind said spring means and store energy therein as said rotation means is rotated rearwardly, and further responsive to said pull cord so that when the pulled out pull cord is released, said spring means will rotate said rotation means forwardly, accomplish forward, engine starting rotation of said shaft means and return said pull cord to its initial position.

5. In a toy power plant including an engine having av projecting shaft, the combination of: a rotation means surrounding said shaft and being supported so as to be capable of forward and rearward rotation; clutch spring means having one end thereof engaging said rotation means so as to be rotated by said rotation means when it is rotated forwardly, said spring means having a portion which extends from said rotation means and drives said shaft when said spring means is rotated forwardly by said rotation means; and means for rotating said rotation means in forward and rearward directions comprising a spring having one end connected to a stationary part of said engine and having the other end thereof connected to said rotation means to rotate the same in said forward direction, and a pull cord for rotating said rotation means in the other of said directions and effecting winding of said spring, said pull cord being wound on said rotation means and having an extending portion adapted to be pulled outwardly, the rotation of said rotation means by said spring rewinding said pull cord to its initial position.

6. In a toy power plant including an engine having shaft means and means driven thereby, an engine-starting device comprising: stationary means, rotatable means, overrunning clutch means for drivingly engaging said rotatable means to said shaft means when said rotatable means is rotated in one direction and for permitting said shaft means to be disengaged from said rotatable means when said rotatable means is rotated in another direction, spring means secured at one end to said rotatable means and at its other end to said stationary means so that rotation of said rotatable means in said other direction stores energy therein and so that when said spring means is released it causes rotation of said shaft means and said rotatable means in said one direction to start said engine, and means attached to said rotatable means, apart from means driven by said shaft means, and arranged to be manually operated for rotating said rotatable means to store energy in said spring means and when released from the hand of the operator to permit said spring means to apply its energy to said shaft means and rotatable means.

7. In a toy power plant including an engine having shaft means, means driven thereby, an engine-starting 7 device comprising: stationary means, rotatable means, overrunning clutch means for drivingly engaging said rotatable means to saidshaft means when said rotatable means is rotated in one direction and for permitting said shaft means to be disengaged from said rotatable means when said rotatable means is rotated in another direction, spring means secured at its inner end to said rotatable means and at its outer end to said stationary means so that rotation of said rotatable means in said other direction winds said spring and so that when said spring means is unwound it causes rotation of said shaft means and said rotatable means in said one direction to start said engine, and a pull cord wound about said rotatable means to be manually pulled for unwinding and rotating said rotatable member to wind said spring and when released from the hand of the operator to permit said spring means to unwind and to rotate said shaft means and said rotatable means and to rewind said pull cord.

8. In a toy power plant including an engine having a shaft and means driven thereby, an engine-starting device comprising: a rotatable means, means for drivingly engaging said rotatable means to said shaft when said rotatable means is rotated in one direction and for permitting said shaft to be disengaged from said rotatable,

means when said rotatable means is rotated in another direction, spring means attached at one end to said rota't' able means and operatively attached at its other end to said means for engaging said shaft so that rotation of said rotatable means in said other direction stores energyj therein and so that when said spring means is released it causes rotation of said shaft in said one direction to start said engine, and means attached to said rotatable means, apart from said means driven by said shaft, and arranged to be manually operated for rotating said rotatable means to store energy in said spring and when released from the hand of the operator to permit said spring means to apply its energy to said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weimer Sept. 18, 1951. 

